Design can play a part on many different levels in a Democracy. By simply applying design to increase civic participation in governing practices such as designing voting ballots or online civil platforms with better usability. The ‘Design for Democracy’ initiative by the American Institute of Graphic Arts is one such prime example. 

Designer involvement in democratic actions, specifically participatory design has a long history in the democracy in workplace. However, we see in recent developments a shift in participatory design into the public sphere and everyday life. The focus is more on democratic innovation, which departs from the market economy, and looks for a process for radical social change in developing services, systems and environments that support more sustainable lifestyles and consumption habits. 

Design and Democracy also emphasizes participation in the public sphere by different segments and strata in the society. Design tools and thinking could be central to constructing agonistic public spaces. These space echoes DiSalvo’s discussion on design and democracy that it should acknowledge the radical difference and contentious expression in the practice of democracy, instead of attempting to reach an ideal consensus. The agonistic public spaces provide possibilities to constrain power relations and empower of resources to weak or marginalized groups.  

 

 

Björgvinsson, E., Ehn, P., & Hillgren, P.-A. (2010). Participatory design and democratizing innovation. In Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Participatory Design Conference (pp. 41–50). ACM.

DiSalvo, C. (2012). Adversarial design. The MIT Press.